Aralia includes deciduous trees, shrubs, and perennial plants characterized by their sizable, either simple or pinnately compound foliage. The species produce small greenish-white flowers that cluster in large groups at the ends of branches, which eventually give way to small black fruits.

Aralia

Aralia aff. chinensis

Aralia aff. subcordata

Aralia apioides

Aralia armata

Aralia bipinnata Blanco is a tall, deciduous shrub characterized by its spiny branches and large, bi-pinnate foliage. In late summer to autumn, it produces substantial clusters of small white flowers that transition into dark red-purple berries.

Aralia bipinnata Blanco

Aralia cachemirica is a robust, arching perennial that reaches heights of 1.5 to 3 meters. Its leaves are large and pinnately divided, displaying a vibrant green that transitions to shades of crimson and purple as autumn approaches. The plant produces open panicles of small, creamy-white flowers that can extend up to 30 centimeters in length, ultimately yielding maroon-black berries.

Aralia cachemirica

Aralia californica is a robust, deciduous perennial characterized by its spiny stems and large, bi-pinnate foliage. In the autumn, it produces loose clusters of greenish-white flowers that transition to dark red, nearly black berries during the winter months.

Aralia californica

Aralia castanopsidicola

Aralia chapaensis is a sizable deciduous perennial featuring spiny stems and expansive bi-pinnate foliage. In autumn, it produces ample clusters of creamy-white blooms, which transition to dark red before yielding purple-black berries in winter.

Aralia chapaensis

Aralia chinensis L.

Aralia continentalis

Aralia continentalis pink-flowered

Aralia cordata 'Sun King' is a herbaceous perennial that forms clumps and can grow as tall as 1.2 meters. In spring, its sizeable compound leaves unfold in a vibrant golden-yellow hue, which persists with several hours of sunlight each day. Late summer brings slender spikes reaching up to 60 centimeters, adorned with small white flowers that eventually develop into inedible purple berries by autumn.

Aralia cordata 'Sun King'

Aralia cordata Thunb. is a vigorous perennial that can reach heights and widths of up to 2.5 meters. It features broad, pinnate foliage that starts as a golden-green in the spring and transitions to a vibrant green during the summer months. In late summer, clusters of small white flowers appear in expansive umbels measuring up to 45 centimeters in diameter, giving way to inedible purple fruits. This plant tends to spread through suckering.

Aralia cordata Thunb.

Aralia cordata from Ulleungdo, South Korea

Aralia cordata var. sachalinensis

Aralia dasyphylla

Aralia decaisneana is a substantial deciduous shrub characterized by its spiny branches and expansive, bi-pinnate foliage. In autumn, it produces clusters of white flowers, which mature into dark red-purple berries during the winter months.

Aralia decaisneana

Aralia echinocaulis is a resilient deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow as tall as 10 meters in its native environment, though it typically reaches a lesser height in UK gardens. It features large, bipinnate leaves that display a range of colors in the fall, transitioning to yellows, browns, and purples. The plant is characterized by a single, dark brown stem that is sharply spiny. From June to August, it produces clusters of fragrant, purplish-white flowers, which are succeeded by small dark purple to black berries that appear from September to November.

Aralia echinocaulis

Aralia elata is a sizable deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach heights of up to 10 meters. It features substantial bipinnate leaves that emerge from thick, spiny branches. The plant produces small, creamy flowers that cluster together in large, airy panicles.

Aralia elata

Aralia elata 'Aureo-marginata' (v)

Aralia elata 'Aureovariegata' is a robust, deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow to approximately 8 meters in height. This cultivar features sizable, variegated leaves made up of paired leaflets, characterized by uneven yellow edges and lighter-colored undersides. From late summer to early autumn, it produces clusters of small white flowers in large panicles, which are eventually succeeded by black berries.

Aralia elata 'Aureovariegata' (v)

Aralia elata 'Golden Umbrella' (v)

Aralia elata 'Silver Umbrella' (v)

Aralia elata 'Variegata' is a sizable deciduous shrub or small tree characterized by its prominent bipinnate leaves, which feature leaflets edged in white. From late summer, it produces small white flowers arranged in extensive panicles.

Aralia elata 'Variegata' (v)

Aralia elata var. mandshurica

Aralia foliolosa

Aralia from China

Aralia hispida

Aralia kansuensis

Aralia leschenaultii

Aralia montana

Aralia nudicaulis L.

Aralia racemosa is a robust, spiny herbaceous perennial that can exceed 1.5 meters in height annually. It produces small white flowers that reflect its connection to the Ivy family, which later develop into round clusters of berries in shades of red, purple, and black.

Aralia racemosa

Aralia racemosa subsp. racemosa

Aralia searelliana

Aralia spinifolia

Aralia spinosa L. is a substantial, deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach heights of up to 6 meters. This plant is characterized by its robust stems and leaf stalks, which are armed with sharp spines. Its large compound leaves, measuring as much as 1.5 meters in length, feature toothed leaflets and are arranged on sparse, club-shaped branches that create a canopy resembling an umbrella. In the summer, it produces greenish-white flowers with five petals, which are clustered in large panicles, subsequently giving way to fleshy, round fruits that are purple-black in color.